New Recycling Plant for PIR Insulation Boards
We are proud to announce the opening of the first full-scale recycling plant for PIR insulation boards at our Unilin Insulation site in Desselgem—a significant milestone in advancing circularity within our industry. This innovative facility enables the chemical recycling of both production waste and post-industrial PIR insulation boards, allowing recovered materials to be reused in the manufacture of new boards.
What does this mean for sustainability?
Historically, circularity for PIR insulation boards has been a challenge. While we previously achieved mechanical recycling for PIR board waste—resulting in the launch of Rezillo, a moisture-resistant building board made from recycled PIR material in 2024—our latest investment takes sustainability further. With €8 million invested and the support of our R&D team, we can now chemically recycle PIR waste to produce raw materials for brand new insulation boards. This process closes the loop: from PIR insulation board to PIR insulation board, significantly reducing our carbon footprint.
How does the process work?
The recycling system involves three key steps: shredding, filtration, and chemical recycling. First, PIR insulation boards are broken down into small pieces. Next, our proprietary process uses wind sifting to separate PIR particles from any paper or aluminum facings. The purified PIR then enters a reactor, where glycolysis breaks it down into polyol and other components. This recycled polyol is then used in our standard production process, meeting up to 50% of Unilin’s polyol needs and enabling the creation of new PIR insulation boards.
Looking ahead
We are sharing this news first with you, our valued partners, ahead of the wider trade press and social media announcements scheduled for tomorrow. Please feel free to share our post on LinkedIn or Facebook from tomorrow onward—we appreciate your support in amplifying this milestone. In the upcoming issue of Unilink magazine, members of our R&D team will share insights into their work on this development. Stay tuned for more on our commitment to sustainability and innovation.
